manalive-第11章

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the　sea　being　the　ceiling　and　the　stars　the　floor。　　No　words　can　express
how　it　astonished　him；　as　it　astonishes　all　simple　men　when　it　happens。
Yet　the　stiffest　female　stoicism　seems　separated　from　it　only　by　a　sheet　of
paper　or　a　sheet　of　steel。　　It　indicates　no　surrender；　far　less　any　sympathy。
The　most　rigid　and　ruthless　woman　can　begin　to　cry；　just　as　the　most
effeminate　man　can　grow　a　beard。　　It　is　a　separate　sexual　power；
and　proves　nothing　one　way　or　the　other　about　force　of　character。
But　to　young　men　ignorant　of　women；　like　Arthur　Inglewood；　to　see　Diana　Duke
crying　was　like　seeing　a　motor…car　shedding　tears　of　petrol。

He　could　never　have　given　（even　if　his　really　manly　modesty　had　permitted　it）
any　vaguest　vision　of　what　he　did　when　he　saw　that　portent。　　He　acted
as　men　do　when　a　theatre　catches　firevery　differently　from　how　they
would　have　conceived　themselves　as　acting；　whether　for　better　or　worse。
He　had　a　faint　memory　of　certain　half…stifled　explanations；　that　the　heiress
was　the　one　really　paying　guest；　and　she　would　go；　and　the　bailiffs
（in　consequence）　would　come；　but　after　that　he　knew　nothing　of　his　own
conduct　except　by　the　protests　it　evoked。

〃Leave　me　alone；　Mr。　Inglewoodleave　me　alone；　that's　not　the　way　to　help。〃

〃But　I　can　help　you；〃　said　Arthur；　with　grinding　certainty；
〃I　can；　I　can；　I　can。。。〃

〃Why；　you　said；〃　cried　the　girl；　〃that　you　were　much　weaker　than　me。〃

〃So　I　am　weaker　than　you；〃　said　Arthur；　in　a　voice　that　went
vibrating　through　everything；　〃but　not　just　now。〃

〃Let　go　my　hands！〃　cried　Diana。　　〃I　won't　be　bullied。〃

In　one　element　he　was　much　stronger　than　shethe　matter　of　humour。
This　leapt　up　in　him　suddenly；　and　he　laughed；　saying：　　〃Well；　you　are　mean。
You　know　quite　well　you'll　bully　me　all　the　rest　of　my　life。
You　might　allow　a　man　the　one　minute　of　his　life　when　he's　allowed　to　bully。〃

It　was　as　extraordinary　for　him　to　laugh　as　for　her　to　cry；
and　for　the　first　time　since　her　childhood　Diana　was　entirely
off　her　guard。

〃Do　you　mean　you　want　to　marry　me？〃　she　said。

〃Why；　there's　a　cab　at　the　door！〃　cried　Inglewood；　springing　up
with　an　unconscious　energy　and　bursting　open　the　glass　doors
that　led　into　the　garden。

As　he　led　her　out　by　the　hand　they　realized　somehow　for　the　first　time
that　the　house　and　garden　were　on　a　steep　height　over　London。　　And　yet；
though　they　felt　the　place　to　be　uplifted；　they　felt　it　also　to　be　secret：
it　was　like　some　round　walled　garden　on　the　top　of　one　of　the
turrets　of　heaven。

Inglewood　looked　around　dreamily；　his　brown　eyes　devouring
all　sorts　of　details　with　a　senseless　delight。　　He　noticed　for
the　first　time　that　the　railings　of　the　gate　beyond　the　garden
bushes　were　moulded　like　little　spearheads　and　painted　blue。
He　noticed　that　one　of　the　blue　spears　was　loosened　in　its　place；
and　hung　sideways；　and　this　almost　made　him　laugh。　　He　thought　it
somehow　exquisitely　harmless　and　funny　that　the　railing　should
be　crooked；　he　thought　he　should　like　to　know　how　it　happened；
who　did　it；　and　how　the　man　was　getting　on。

When　they　were　gone　a　few　feet　across　that　fiery　grass　realized
that　they　were　not　alone。　　Rosamund　Hunt　and　the　eccentric
Mr。　Moon；　both　of　whom　they　had　last　seen　in　the　blackest
temper　of　detachment；　were　standing　together　on　the　lawn。
They　were　standing　in　quite　an　ordinary　manner；　and　yet　they
looked　somehow　like　people　in　a　book。

〃Oh；〃　said　Diana；　〃what　lovely　air！〃

〃I　know；〃　called　out　Rosamund；　with　a　pleasure　so　positive
that　it　rang　out　like　a　complaint。　　〃It's　just　like　that　horrid；
beastly　fizzy　stuff　they　gave　me　that　made　me　feel　happy。〃

〃Oh；　it　isn't　like　anything　but　itself！〃　answered　Diana；　breathing　deeply。
〃Why；　it's　all　cold；　and　yet　it　feels　like　fire。〃

〃Balmy　is　the　word　we　use　in　Fleet　Street；〃
said　Mr。　Moon。　　〃Balmyespecially　on　the　crumpet。〃
And　he　fanned　himself　quite　unnecessarily　with　his　straw　hat。
They　were　all　full　of　little　leaps　and　pulsations　of　objectless
and　airy　energy。　　Diana　stirred　and　stretched　her　long　arms　rigidly；
as　if　crucified；　in　a　sort　of　excruciating　restfulness；
Michael　stood　still　for　long　intervals；　with　gathered　muscles；
then　spun　round　like　a　teetotum；　and　stood　still　again；
Rosamund　did　not　trip；　for　women　never　trip；　except　when　they
fall　on　their　noses；　but　she　struck　the　ground　with　her　foot
as　she　moved；　as　if　to　some　inaudible　dance　tune；　and　Inglewood；
leaning　quite　quietly　against　a　tree；　had　unconsciously
clutched　a　branch　and　shaken　it　with　a　creative　violence。
Those　giant　gestures　of　Man；　that　made　the　high　statues
and　the　strokes　of　war；　tossed　and　tormented　all　their　limbs。
Silently　as　they　strolled　and　stood　they　were　bursting　like
batteries　with　an　animal　magnetism。

〃And　now；〃　cried　Moon　quite　suddenly；　stretching　out　a　hand　on　each　side；
〃let's　dance　round　that　bush！〃

〃Why；　what　bush　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Rosamund；　looking　round　with　a　sort
of　radiant　rudeness。

〃The　bush　that　isn't　there；〃　said　Michael〃the　Mulberry　Bush。〃

They　had　taken　each　other's　hands；　half　laughing　and　quite　ritually；
and　before　they　could　disconnect　again　Michael　spun　them　all　round；
like　a　demon　spinning　the　world　for　a　top。　　Diana　felt；　as　the　circle　of
the　horizon　flew　instantaneously　around　her；　a　far　aerial　sense　of　the　ring
of　heights　beyond　London　and　corners　where　she　had　climbed　as　a　child；
she　seemed　almost　to　hear　the　rooks　cawing　about　the　old　pines　on　Highgate；
or　to　see　the　glowworms　gathering　and　kindling　in　the　woods　of　Box　Hill。

The　circle　brokeas　all　such　perfect　circles　of　levity　must　break
and　sent　its　author；　Michael；　flying；　as　by　centrifugal　force；　far　away
against　the　blue　rails　of　the　gate。　　When　reeling　there　he　suddenly
raised　shout　after　shout　of　a　new　and　quite　dramatic　character。

〃Why；　it's　Warner！〃　he　shouted；　waving　his　arms。　　〃It's　jolly　old　Warner
with　a　new　silk　hat　and　the　old　silk　moustache！〃

〃Is　that　Dr。　Warner？〃　cried　Rosamund；　bounding　forward　in　a
burst　of　memory；　amusement；　and　distress。　　〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry！
Oh；　do　tell　him　it's　all　right！〃

〃Let's　take　hands　and　tell　him；〃　said　Michael　Moon。　　For　indeed；
while　they　were　talking；　another　hansom　cab　had　dashed　up　behind
the　one　already　waiting；　and　Dr。　Herbert　Warner；　leaving　a　companion
in　the　cab；　had　carefully　deposited　himself　on　the　pavement。

Now；　when　you　are　an　eminent　physician　and　are　wired　for　by
an　heiress　to　come　to　a　case　of　dangerous　mania；　and　when；
as　you　come　in　through　the　garden　to　the　house；　the　heiress
and　her　landlady　and　two　of　the　gentlemen　boarders　join　hands
and　dance　round　you　in　a　ring；　calling　out；　〃It's　all　right！　it's
all　right！〃　you　are　apt　to　be　flustered　and　even　displeased。
Dr。　Warner　was　a　placid　but　hardly　a　placable　person。
The　two　things　are　by　no　means　the　same；　and　even　when　Moon　explained
to　him　that　he；　Warner；　with　his　high　hat　and　tall；　solid　figure；
was　just　such　a　classic　figure　as　OUGHT　to　be　danced　round
by　a　ring　of　laughing　maidens　on　some　old　golden　Greek　seashore
even　then　he　seemed　to　miss　the　point　of　the　general　rejoicing。

〃Inglewood！〃　cried　Dr。　Warner；　fixing　his　former　disciple　with　a　stare；
〃are　you　mad？〃

Arthur　flushed　to　the　roots　of　his　brown　hair；　but　he　answered；
easily　and　quietly　enough；　〃Not　now。　　The　truth　is；　Warner；　I've　just
made　a　rather　important　medical　discoveryquite　in　your　line。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　great　doctor　stiffly〃what　discovery？〃

〃I've　discovered　that　health　really　is　catching；　like　disease；〃
answered　Arthur。

〃Yes；　sanity　has　broken　out；　and　is　spreading；〃　said　Michael；
performing　a　~pas　seul~　with　a　thoughtful　expression。
〃Twenty　thousand　more　cases　taken　to　the　hospitals；
nurses　employed　night　and　day。〃

Dr。　Warner　studied　Michael's　grave　face　and　lightly　moving
legs　with　an　unfathomed　wonder。　　〃And　is　THIS；　may　I　ask；〃
he　said；　〃the　sanity　that　is　spreading？〃

〃You　must　forgive　me；　Dr。　Warner；〃　cried　Rosamund　Hunt　heartily。
〃I　know　I've　treated　you　badly；　but　indeed　it　was　all　a　mistake。
I　was　in　a　frightfully　bad　temper　when　I　sent　for　you；　but　now
it　all　seems　like　a　dreamand　and　Mr。　Smith　is　the　sweetest；
most　sensible；　most　deligh